Former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele, former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami, and businesswoman and socialite Aisha Achimugu are among the prominent Nigerians whose assets have been permanently taken over by the Federal Government through final court forfeiture orders.
Along with several other politically exposed persons, they have lost billions of naira in cash, luxury homes, vehicles, jewellery and company shares as part of the Federal Government’s asset recovery efforts.
A final forfeiture order is different from an interim forfeiture order. An interim order is temporary and can still be challenged. A final forfeiture order permanently transfers ownership of the assets to the Federal Government after the court is satisfied that they are proceeds of unlawful activities or that those claiming them failed to prove they were legally acquired.
Below are some of the most notable cases. 
Godwin Emefiele: N23 Billion
Emefiele tops the list of recent recoveries.
In several final forfeiture orders obtained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), courts ruled that he should be permanently relieved of a 753-unit housing estate in Abuja valued at over N11 billion, luxury properties worth more than N12.18 billion, foreign currency, vehicles and other assets linked to him.
The total value of the assets exceeds N23 billion, making it one of the biggest court-approved asset recoveries in Nigeria.
Diezani Alison-Madueke: N100 Billion
Former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, remains the public official linked to the largest known asset forfeitures.
Over the years, different courts ruled that dozens of luxury homes in Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt, expensive jewellery, cash in naira and foreign currencies, vehicles and other assets linked to her be permanently taken from her.
Although no court has given a single combined value for all the assets, estimates based on the various final forfeiture orders put their worth at more than N100 billion.
SEE ALSO:What UK Jury Said as it Cleared Diezani in Major Bribery Case
Patience Jonathan: N9.2 Billion
Former First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan lost about N9.2 billion after courts upheld the forfeiture of funds in bank accounts linked to her.
The courts ruled that there was no satisfactory evidence to show the legitimate source of the funds after the EFCC filed the forfeiture proceedings.
Aisha Achimugu: N8.97 Billion
Businesswoman and socialite Aisha Achimugu recently joined the list after a court ordered the final forfeiture of assets valued at about N8.97 billion.
The assets included jewellery worth about N4.65 billion, 11 luxury vehicles valued at about N4.29 billion, N30 million in cash and $50,000.
SEE ALSO: Aisha Achimugu, Her Family and Business Empire
Chukwunyere Anamekwe Nwabuoku: N2.2 Billion
Former Acting Accountant-General of the Federation Chukwunyere Anamekwe Nwabuoku forfeited assets worth about N2.2 billion after a Federal High Court granted the EFCC’s application for final forfeiture.
The assets included company shares valued at about N1.9 billion, N288.5 million in cash and a five-bedroom duplex in Abuja.
Steve Olusegun Ogidan: N1.582 Billion
Steve Olusegun Ogidan, a former consultant to the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL), permanently forfeited N1.582 billion after the EFCC secured a final court order.
The forfeiture followed investigations into alleged financial crimes involving the funds.
Abubakar Malami: 48 Properties
Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami also lost 48 properties after a Federal High Court granted a final forfeiture order.
The properties include a university campus, an agro-allied factory, luxury residential buildings and other real estate in different parts of the country.
The court did not state the total value of the properties.
However, they are widely believed to be worth several billions of naira, making the case one of the largest asset forfeitures in terms of the number of properties recovered.
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